Safety-envelop.



No. 674,785. l Patented May 2|, |901. C. H. MANN &. C. A. HlGBEE.

SAFETY ENVELOP.

'Application led Feb. 27, 1901.|

(No Mcdel.)

llrtrrnn Srarns anni V OFFICE.

CHARLES H. MANN, OF HADDONFIELD, NEW JERSEY, AND CLINTON A. l-IIGBEF.,OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA; SAID HIGBEE ASSIGNOR TO SAID MANN.

SAFETY-ENVELO P.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 674,785, dated May 21,1901.

Application led February 27, 1901. Serial No. 49,025. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES H. MANN, residing at Haddoniield, in thecounty of Camden and State of'New Jersey, and CLINTON A. HIGBEE,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, citizens of the United States, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Safety-Envelops, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to safety-envelops, and more particularly to thoseadapted to be closed through the medium of a seal of wax or likematerial, and has for its object to provide a structure which whensealed Will offer an effectual resistance to any efforts to abstract thecontents thereof and Will at the same time be so arranged that it willnot be possible to open the same without either breaking the seal ortearing the paper. This object we accomplish by first forming theenvelop so that a pocket closed on three sides is provided, which may befolded over onto an enlarged front piece formed integral therewith andadapted to cover one entire side of said pocket and to overlap the sameon three sides, said overlapping flaps being brought together and sealedby wax or like material in such manner that the design of the seal, aswell as portions of each sealed flap, will lie either just iiush with orbelow the surface of the back of the pocket, thus eifect-uallypreventing the insertion of a knife-blade or other instrument tofliftthe design of the seal unbroken.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating our invention, Figure l is aperspective view of an envelop formed in accordance with our invention,the same being shown open or unfolded and ready for the reception ofarticles to be transported. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the pocketfolded over onto the front piece and the side Iiaps of the latter alsofolded into sealing position. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing all theflaps folded and the envelop ready for sealing. Fig. 4 is a similar viewshowing the envelop sealed and ready for transportation. Fig. 5 is aslightly-enlarged sectional view taken centrally through the eu- Velopwhen in the position shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a similar view when the envelop is in the position shown inFig. 3, showing the parts closed and ready for sealing. Fig. 7 is asimilar view showing the envelop sealed as in Fig. 4.. Fig. Sis a detailperspective View of a recessed disk attached to the inner surface of theback piece of the pocket and registering with an aperture therein andadapted to re.

ceive the sealing-wax and the seal. Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig.illustrating a slightlymodified construction.

Similar numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in the severalviews.

In the said drawings the reference-n umeral l denotes the pocket formedin the blank, the same consisting of a back piece and one bottom and twoside iiaps sealed together, as shown in Fig. l. Formed integral withsaid pocket 1 and extending upward from the back piece thereof is theenvelop-frontfZ, the same being of a size to completely cover one sideof said pocket when folded thereon and being provided with twosubstantially V-shaped side aps 3 and one substantially V-shaped endflap 4, which are adapted to fold over and partially inclose the side ofthe pocket l opposite to the front piece 2 and to have their free endsregister with an aperture 5, formed centrally in the back piece of thepocket l, as clearlyshown in Figs. 3,16, and 7` it being observed thatthe ends of the side flaps 8 preferably do not quite meet, as seen inFig. 2, while the end of the end flap 4 has preferably formed therein anotch 6, substantially coextensive in Width with the distance be tweenthe .ends of end flaps 3, all for a purpose hereinafter t0 be described.

Attached in any suitable manner to the inner side of the back piece ofpocket l is a disk 7, formed of any suitable material, preferably paper,the same having a central recessed or depressed portion 8 formed orstamped therein, that registers with the aperture 5 in said back piece,said disk thus providing, in conjunction with the aperture 5, adepression in the surface of the back piece of pocket l, as seen inFigs. 5 and 6, that is overlaidv by the ends of iiaps 3 and 4. when theenvelop is folded, as seen in Figs. 3 and 6.

From the above description the operation IOO of our improvedconstruction will be understood to be as follows: The parts beingin theposition shown in Fig. l, the pocket l is ready for the reception of themoney or other package to be transported, which being inserted thereinsaid pocket is then folded up onto front piece 2 and the iiaps 3 and 4of the latter then folded over onto the back piece of said pocket in theposition shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the ends of said fiaps 3 and 4 thusoverlying the aperture 5. Now upon applying melted wax or other sealingmedium the same will pass through the'notch 6 in iiap 4 and iiow intothe depression 8 in disk 7 and around the ends of iiaps 3 and 4. Asuitable designseal being now applied to said sealing medium when in itssoft state, said seal being a little smaller in area than. the aperture5, the sealing medium, as well as the ends of the flaps 3 and 4, maythus be pressed down just iiush with or below the surface of the backpiece of pocket l, as clearly seen in Fig. 7.

It will thus be seen that by reason of the peculiar construction of theenvelop and through the double folding of the same any abstraction ofthe contents without breaking the seal or tearing the paper iseffectually prevented, while the countersinking of the seal itself flushwith or below the surface of the back piece of pocket l absolutelyprevents theinsertion thereunder ofaknife-blade or other implement andthe consequent lifting of said seal intact, such an attempt inevitablyresulting in the breaking of the seal around the edge of the depressedportion thereof without freeing the depressed ends of iaps 3 and 4 lyingbeneath the design on said seal.

A further advantage obtained by our improved construction is that theseal by being depressed to or below the normal surface of the envelop isprotected against accidental damage due to handling, as will be readilyunderstood.

AS a further measure of precaution the edges of flaps 3 and v4 may begummed in the usual manner, and thus retained closed independently ofthe seal.

We have illustrated in Fig. 9 a slightlymodied construction, adepression 9 being formed by stamping or otherwise in the body of theback piece of pocket l itself, thus taking the place of and dispensingwith the aperture therein and the supplemental disk 7, the'sealingmedium flowing therein and being stamped in the manner hereinbeforedescribed.

While we have shown and described but one depression for the receptionof the sealing medium, it will be understood that we do not limitourselves to the same, as two or more points of sealing maybe employed,the number of depressions being increased and located accordingly.

If desired, the edge of the depressed portion 8 may be reverselybeveled, so that the sealing medium when it fills said depressed portionwill be, as it were, wedged in position, thus offering a furtherobstacle to its being lifted out.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new,.and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a safety-envelop, the body portion thereof, and the closing flapor flaps, said body portion having one or more continuous depressionsformed therein below the surface thereof of an area suiiicient toreceive the sealing medium and an impression from a sealing-stamp.

2. In a safety-envelop, the body portion thereof, and the closing flapor flaps, said body portion having one or more depressions formedtherein below the surface thereof for the reception of the sealingmedium and also portions of said ap or flaps.

8. A safety-envelop, consisting of a body portion, and a closing flap oraps, said body portion being provided with one or more depressionstherein below the surface thereof for the reception of a sealing medium,and said flap or flaps arranged when folded to partially overlie saiddepression or depressions so as to be forced ush with or below thesurface of the body portion when a seal is applied to the sealingmedium.

4. In a safety-envelop, the body portion thereof having a depression ordepressions formed therein, a closing flap or iiaps partially overlyingsaid depression or depressions, and a sealing medium applied to saidbody portion and flap or flaps at the point or points of depression,said sealing medium and flap or flaps being forced into said depressionor depressions lush with or below the surface of the body portion by theapplication of a sealing stamp or die.

5. A safety-envelop, consisting of a pocket or receptacle closed onthree sides and having a depression or depressions formed therein, afront piece extending from the open side thereof and adapted to befolded thereon, closing-flaps attached to said front piece and adaptedto be folded over the other side of said pocket or receptacle and topartially overlie said depression or depressions therein, and a sealingmedium applied to said pocket or receptacle and iiap or flaps at thepoint or points of depression, said sealing medium and flap or flapsbeing forced into said depression or depressions flush with or below thesurface of the pocket or receptacle by the application of a sealingstamp or die.

6.' A safety-envelop, consisting of a pocket or receptacle closed atthree sides and having a depression formed therein, a front pieceextending from the open side thereof and adapted to be folded thereon,side-closing iiaps attached to said front piece and adapted to be foldedover the other side of said pocket or receptacle and to overlie thedepression therein, but not to meet, and an end-closing flap alsoadapted to be folded over said side of the pocket or receptacle and tooverlie said de- IOO IOS

IIO

tions of the closing-halos so that they will lie flush With or below thesurface of the body portion When pressed therein.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

oHARLEs H. MANN. CLINTON A. HIGBEE.

Witnesses:

JNO. B. BUZBY, C. H. PINKITT.

